Touring: Humanities Faculty continued…

If you’ve been following this blog you might know that the Norwegian Blogger, Marianne, took me on a very unofficial tour several weeks ago. More recently, I got to go on a more official tour of the Humanities faculty! Birgit, an undergraduate studying religion, was kind enough to show me around a bit more. For some more insights into the Humanities faculty, read on:

Hei hei Birgit!

Meeting Birgit outside the Humanities library. Photo: Stand Hiestand

Birgit takes an active part in student life as a Leiar for Humanistisk Studentutvalg (leader in the Humanities student council). She recommends Ad Fontes as the place to meet up for Humanities students. You may remember Ad Fontes as the student run (all run with volunteers to keep prices low) cafe and bar within the Humanities faculty. The Humanities student council help manage Ad Fontes, so she had a lot of insider information about it. When I returned to the faculty this time with Birgit, Ad Fontes was unfortunately closed for the summer break, but it should be open again soon for the new school year!

Ad Fontes continues to be highly recommended

Ad Fontes’ furnishings put up for the summer break (top), but when they are open, they have coffee by donation (bottom left) and books galore for sale (bottom right). Photos: Stand Hiestand

Birgit informed me that the bookshelves of Ad Fontes are full of donated books that are for sale to support Ad Fontes. Alternately, the coffee donations support the all important cause of more coffee! She also mentioned that Ad Fontes has many event nights including quizes and movie nights. Ad Fontes can be used for events by departments related to the Humanities faculty. Keep your eyes peeled for exciting events – or just use a couch there to relax like Marianne did on our first visit.

Humanities Library revisited

Birgit and I also made it back to the Humanities library, much quieter now that students have finished up final tests for the summer.

The humanities library. Photo: Stand Hiestand

Birgit pointed out a couple important highlights of the Humanities library. It offers a writing center as student assignments are often highly focused on writing skills, and it offers a computer room reserved for Humanities students, handy for Humanities students because the library is such a popular place to study for students of many different faculties. The library wants to make sure that the students of its faculty have enough places to study!

Humanities library inside the main entrance (top photos). The doors to the writing center (bottom left), the sign for the writing center, or Akademisk skrvivesenter (bottom middle), and the computer room reserved for Humanities students (bottom right). Photos: Stand Hiestand

The writing center actually won an award internally within the University for its services to the students. The writing center is primarily for Humanities students, however, if there is time they may be open to reviewing other students’ writing. Other faculties are also considering implementing writing centers.

Faculty Facilities

Humanities faculty (HF) Building (Sydnesplassen 7) houses the Department of Foreign Languages, Department of Linguistics, and Literary and Aesthetic Studies. Ad Fontes can also be found here. Birgit informed me that this building is actually protected as an example of architecture from the 70s. Photo: Stand Hiestand

Skybridge! A short skybridge takes you from the HF building to the Syneshaugen School building. Photo: Stand Hiestand

The courtyard of the arguably much more lovely Sydneshaugen School building. Photos: Stand Hiestand

The Sydneshaugen School building has auditoriums, smaller classrooms, reading rooms, and hallways and stairwells that twist and turn. Birgit says navigating it makes her think she’s in Hogwarts, and I think the comparison is apt. The stairwells almost seem to be moving as you wander through the building.

One of the few students left for the summer studies in an open hallway/lounge space (top). A student kitchenette for study breaks (bottom left), one of the more straightforward stairwells (bottom right). Photos: Stand Hiestand

Reading rooms (top and bottom). There are several to choose from. Birgit likes the first floor reading rooms (bottom) as they are quieter and tend to have better temperatures. Photos: Stand Hiestand

Two views of a smaller classroom. Photos: Stand Hiestand

Humanities Studentutvalg (student council) office. They share space with several other student organizations. The office (top), the office door, which has all the organizations that share the space listed (bottom left) and the student council’s banner (bottom right). Photos: Stand Hiestand